November 2012

A month has slipped by and not too much to report. Painting the bedrooms is going well, two finished and one to touch up. Time to put closet doors back on (new ones to be purchased- the old are all now shelves in the garage) and decorate for "spare rooms". A trip to Ikea should top us up for curtains and a couple of mattresses. Who knew there was a paint more expensive than Benjamine Moore? Ya I know!! Farrow and Ball. Ok, it is absolutely lovely paint to look at, smell, and work with. It is more eco and health friendly, and I suppose the best paint I've ever worked with. But, it is pricy. Red Bird Designs, 309 Thames if you are interested. They're calling for a little snow tonight and tomorrow- fair since it is the end of Novemeber and we've had a warm Fall. Rode the mountain bike to work yesterday- will it be the last time until Spring??? I don't think so.

Less than a month until Christmas- have to admit I am starting to look forward to it. It will be awesome to have the family back together for a couple of weeks. Phone just rang, time to run away again.

Projects Well the first project was completed this week- fortunately just before getting called in for a couple of days.

I think it turned out pretty well. It's a little wider than the old one which was destroyed by Larry crashing into chasing squirrels, and the winds and weather finishing off. I liked the idea of "mixed medium" so to speak, having both metal and wood together. Like to add stone or a stone bird bath in the summer.

What do you think? The room painting and garage cleaning, although they are jobs next on the list, I'm not referring to as "projects"...more resembling "chores". Well, not chores in the cleaning the bathroom sense, but you know. So this is the next project. It's an old rail cart/industrial cart which will be refinished as a coffee table or corner accent table (depending on how it turns out).

Last on the list (before the Honda) is the Whitney pistol. This 1860(plus/minus) cap and ball was collected covered in rust. Still have a long way to go- I have no intention of making it workable, just attractive enough to mount on a plaque or something.

I like the idea that this could have been around during the Civil War, a little piece of history saved from the garbage heap. Time to throw another log on the fire and "chop some pork for me Darlin'". Hmmm, thought we were having lamb.

Happy Thanksgiving.. It has gotten so cold so fast! There's been frost on the roofs out back in the mornings this last week, and the furnace is now on at 11 in the morning. Ok, I did leave the family room door open for an hour- doesn't everyone like it 16 in the house?

Getting caught up on photos, here's Dawson getting ready to move out of the nest on his way with friends to Halifax. They drove straight through and moved in with no hitches, everything going well. Looking forward to seeing Daws at Christmas, and maybe even visiting east next summer.

I attended a conference in Calgary last month, it was a very good conference,a nice city to visit. Visited with Melanie and Steve which was nice, and Kim and I went to Banff and Lake Louise on the last day to site see. I didn't include many pictures- same ones everyone else takes really. This restaurant was a little different, it's fondue and hot plate meals with a huge variety of exotic meats like snake and alligator - pretty cool.

Here's the kids group picture for the season, I love it! Think this one will appear on my work desk as well.

And last but not least, this will also be the first picture in my next blog, which will be my motorcycle project. This is my '79 Honda CX500 purchased this week in Brampton. I probably won't get started on it until the new year or even Spring depending on how all of my other tasks get caught up, but quietly looking forward to turning this into a cafe racer style. Have a happy Holiday.

Lets Try This Again!

September 2012 It's been far to long. So much time and effort being spent by everyone on Facebook- all our photographs instantly shared- by all of those using Facebook anyways. But I don't, and if you're keeping up with this, you probably don't either.

Just three pictures to add today- it's all that I have access to tonight. This summer Ian participated in the MS Ride, Grand Bend to London with Melissa and their team. Shelah and I and my Mom dropped Ian off and watched the start before heading to breakfast. Looks like a lot of fun, a challange and worthwhile cause- sounds like something more of us may do next year.

With Mom visiting for her 75th birthday, we all went to dinner (sorry Dawson- you were away at camp), to the Prune in Stratford. The walk along the water is always pretty. Here is Ted having a philosophic discussion with one of the local swans- thanks Tori for the photograph. Last pic, but not least

is darling Hailey taking the stage during open mike kareokee- wish I could have been there to hear it- bet it rocked!! So this is the busy weekend before school- the kids all coming and going. Very exciting, but by Tuesday I am sure Shel and I will be sharing a box of tissue with Liv as Ian and Dawson leave the roost. But hey, more photo ops to post!